Chefs go rogue on foie gras ban

Amar Santana, chef-owner of Broadway by Amar Santana, with his prepared foie gras dish. Broadway by Amar Santana is one of a few restaurants in Orange County serving foie gras even though the sale and production of it is banned in California. The restaurant has been serving it for free with the purchase of a $55 glass of Sauternes, a French dessert wine. The foie gras is from Hudson Valley Foie Gras in Ferndale New York.ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Forbidden food

The law: Prohibits force-feeding of a bird for the purpose of enlarging its liver beyond normal size. Any product, such as foie gras, produced by force-feeding birds cannot be sold or produced in California.

Fine: Up to $1,000 per violation, per day.

Are California chefs declaring a war on the state's 9-month-old foie gras ban? Consider the risky events that have unfolded over the past few weeks.

In early March, one of Orange County's hottest new restaurants, Arc, posted an image on its Facebook page of a 42-ounce Tomahawk steak served with "specially fattened" duck liver. A week later, an animal rights group brought a lawsuit against La Toque's Ken Frank – one of the most vocal chefs opposing the foie gras ban. The suit claims the Napa chef sold the French delicacy "dozens" of times. Frank says he has been serving it for free in protest of the ban.

A few days later, Laguna Beach chef Amar Santana tweeted a photo of a foie gras dish he prepared for a guest.

Coincidence or coordinated conspiracy? What is clear is that culinary masters and rising star chefs – both openly and privately – have told the Register enough is enough.

"I think the ban is a joke," said Ryan Adams, executive chef at Three Seventy Common in Laguna Beach.

The law, which went into effect July 1, prohibits the production or sale in California of any product, such as fattened duck liver, produced by force-feeding birds. Some restaurants are skirting the law by serving it for free, not selling it.

Arc goes through a pound of duck liver each week. Chef Noah Blom said he's using it to enhance off-menu steak specials sold at the restaurant, which opened two months ago in Costa Mesa.

"There's no ban on buying foie gras. There's no ban on having it delivered. There's only a ban on selling foie gras," he said. "It's not something I sell. It's a garnish."

At Three Seventy Common, Adams said he has been cooking the dish for clients who "buy it and bring it" to the restaurant.

"You'd be amazed at the amount of diners who still want" foie gras, he said.

He maintains he's not violating the law because it's not for sale on his menu.

Across the street from Adams' bistro is Broadway by Amar Santana. The restaurant, known for its haute American cuisine, is run by native New Yorker Santana. The Charlie Palmer protégé said he quietly stopped selling foie gras last summer. Unlike other local chefs, he never hosted any publicity-driven "farewell to foie gras" parties.

"I didn't want to tag along and do that," said Santana, who will be a guest chef this week at the historic James Beard House.

But he's no longer silent.

After a diner recently requested foie gras, Santana grew wistful about the dish. He found some in his freezer. He served the seared medallion with orange glazed endive, blueberry jus and spring onions. Proud of the creation, he shared a photo of the dish with his 1,400 Twitter followers that night.

Amar Santana, chef-owner of Broadway by Amar Santana, with his prepared foie gras dish. Broadway by Amar Santana is one of a few restaurants in Orange County serving foie gras even though the sale and production of it is banned in California. The restaurant has been serving it for free with the purchase of a $55 glass of Sauternes, a French dessert wine. The foie gras is from Hudson Valley Foie Gras in Ferndale New York. ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Broadway by Amar Santana in Laguna Beach has been serving this plate of foie gras for free. ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
After separating and deveining the foie gras lobes, chef-owner Noah Blom of Arc isolates the various sized pieces. Nothing will be wasted. Also, the duck fat will be rendered and used in other dishes. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The foie gras is placed on a cast iron skillet before it undergoes searing at Arc in Costa Mesa. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Arc's chef-owner Noah Blom bastes the foie gras in its own fat. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Chef-owner Noah Blom of Arc places a piece of duck foie gras on top of strawberries and cream as he finishes plating his off menu dry-aged short rib creation. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Chef-owner Noah Blom of Arc has created this off menu dry-aged short rib dish finished with specially fattened duck liver known as foie gras. The foie gras is pictured to the lower right of the chives. The beef has been trussed and charred. The meat is served with strawberries and cream, spring garlic, chives and grilled pineapple. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Noah Blom, chef-owner of Arc in Costa Mesa, posted this photo of his use of foie gras on Facebook in early March. Blom is passionate about using the fattened liver as an ingredient to enhance dishes like this Tomahawk steak. COURTESY ARC
This foie gras served at Broadway by Amar Santana is from Hudson Valley Foie Gras in Ferndale New York. ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Amar Santana, chef-owner of Broadway by Amar Santana, sears a piece of foie gras. ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Amar Santana uses apricot is used in the preparation of foie gras at his Laguna Beach restaurant. ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Amar Santana, chef-owner of Broadway by Amar Santana, places micro-arugula on his foie gras dish. ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Amar Santana, chef-owner of Broadway by Amar Santana in Laguna Beach, with his prepared foie gras. ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Amar Santana chef-owner of Broadway by Amar Santana takes a bite of the foie gras dish he prepared. ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
For the first step, chef-owner Noah Blom of Arc in Costa Mesa begins the butchery process by separating the lobes of the duck foie gras. With practiced hands, he gently pulls apart the foie gras along its natural lines of separation. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Amar Santana is serving (not selling) foie gras even though the sale and production of it is banned in California. The Laguna Beach restaurant has been serving it for free with the purchase of a $55 glass of Sauternes, a French dessert wine. ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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